Chapter 546

Chapter 546

Ronald remembered Elsie holding an umbrella for him on that rainy night, half her body soaked through.

He remembered the accident scene, her body covered in blood, yet still using those broken hands to pull him back from the brink of death.

His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain making it hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was hoarse.

"Before... I was an asshole."

The piano music stopped abruptly.

Elsie finally turned around. Her plain face showed no expression, but her lips curved into a faint, almost cruel smile.

"Mr. York, are you misunderstanding something?"

She stood up and slowly walked toward him, looking up at his face.

"When I play piano, I never think about other people."

She paused, each word like a poisoned ice needle, stabbing where it hurt the most.

"I only think about Cedric."

The air around Ronald seemed to freeze in that moment.

He stared at her hard, his chest heaving violently, something in his eyes crumbling .

"What did you say?"

"I said," Elsie's smile widened a bit, carrying a kind of mutual-destruction satisfaction, "every note I play is for him. This piece was the first one he taught me. You've never heard it, have you?"

"Shut up!"

Ronald let out a suppressed roar.

He suddenly turned and kicked the piano.

The expensive piano shifted from the violent force, the legs cracking under the strain. The body crashed heavily onto the floor with a harsh bang, several keys flying off.

The piano that had once produced countless beautiful melodies was destroyed just like that.

The next second, Elsie's wrist was grabbed by him. She was yanked over with brute force, her back slamming hard against the cold wall.

"You love him that much?"

Ronald's eyes were frighteningly red, like a cornered beast.

"You love him so much you'd die? Love him so much you use me as his replacement?"

Elsie didn't struggle, didn't even raise an eyebrow.

She just looked at him calmly with the kind of gaze you'd give trash.

"Ronald, I told you long ago."

"You're not even worthy of being his substitute."

This sentence was sharper than any blade.

Ronald's grip on her suddenly loosened, as if all his strength had been drained. He staggered back a step.

Looking at her utterly cold face, he suddenly let out a short sound, somewhere between crying and laughing.

A loud crash—not the piano, but the wine cabinet nearby.

Ronald punched it.

The cabinet full of red wine exploded with glass shards, splashing everywhere.

Dark red liquid dripped down his knuckles—impossible to tell if it was wine or blood.

Elsie watched coldly and said, "Crazy."

"Yes, I am crazy!"

Ronald turned around, blood from his hand dripping onto the carpet. He didn't care.

"I've been crazy since the day you didn't want me, Elsie!"

He walked toward her step by step, the smell of blood hitting her face as he pinned her against the wall.

Before she could react, a brutal kiss forced itself on her, carrying the metallic taste of blood—punishment, devouring.

A crisp slap echoed through the living room.

Ronald's head jerked to the side from the blow, a red mark quickly appearing on his cheek.

But he laughed, sticking out his tongue to slowly lick his split lip, a terrifying obsession radiating off him.

Without a word, he turned and picked up the bowl of long-cold porridge, then walked back.

"Eat."

The words had no warmth.

Elsie sneered mockingly, "Ronald, are you begging me now?"

"What the hell are you?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, he lifted her entire body and threw her heavily across his lap.

One arm locked around her waist like an iron clamp, while his other hand scooped up porridge and expressionlessly brought it to her mouth.

"Open your mouth."

Elsie turned her head away stubbornly, resisting with silence.

Ronald's patience was completely exhausted.

He grabbed her jaw.

"Eat."

"Or I'll have my assistant go to the kindergarten right now."

"I think Luna would be very happy to come over and have dinner with her mother."

Elsie's struggling movements instantly froze.

She whipped her head around, looking at him in disbelief. Those beautiful eyes no longer held cold mockery, but bone-deep hatred.

"Ronald."

"You're despicable!"

He looked at the hatred in her eyes, his heart feeling like it was being slowly cut apart, yet he pushed the spoon forward again.

Elsie closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, all emotion had faded, leaving only deathly stillness.

She opened her mouth and swallowed that spoonful of porridge expressionlessly.

The heavy oak door of the seaside villa was kicked open from outside.

Harold stood in the doorway, his face stern, followed by a row of black-suited bodyguards with solemn expressions.

In the living room, Ronald maintained that drained posture, the floor littered with broken glass and wine stains. He looked up, saw the formation at the door, then saw Elsie standing in front of Harold, safe and sound.

He staggered to his feet and blocked her path, his eyes full of bloodshot veins, his voice hoarse beyond recognition.

"You can't leave."

Elsie's steps didn't even pause, as if she hadn't heard him or seen him at all.

"Elsie, you can't go!" Ronald completely panicked, reaching out to grab her. "If you walk out that door, believe it or not, I'll make the Glover family's Pinnacle Bank disappear from this world tomorrow!"

This was his last, and what he thought was his most effective threat.

However, Elsie only paused slightly, turned her face, that plain face without a trace of extra expression.

The way she looked at him was like looking at a noisy, irrelevant passerby.

Then, without looking back, she continued walking forward.

Her heels hitting the ground, each step like stepping on Ronald's heart.

Harold's people immediately stepped forward, forming a human wall that held back the crazed Ronald.

He could only watch helplessly as that resolute figure disappeared outside the door, not even bothering to give him a single word in response.

Complete, total disdain.

The car drove smoothly along the coastal highway.

Harold glanced at Elsie beside him through the rearview mirror. She was quietly looking out the window, her profile appearing somewhat cool in the light and shadow.

"Are you okay?"

Elsie withdrew her gaze, her voice revealing no emotion.

"I'm fine."

She straightened her cuffs, as if everything she'd just experienced was merely a boring farce.

"How's the company?"

Harold hadn't expected her to immediately switch to work mode. He paused before answering, "There's a board meeting this afternoon. A few old guys have issues with the new project, and Maggie's been stirring things up."

"Got it."

Elsie responded lightly, then closed her eyes, seemingly resting.

Harold looked at her, the worry in his heart gradually settling.